The Scriptures and the practice of the Church see alcohol as a gift of God. The Psalms praise God who has given us "wine to gladden our hearts," (Ps. 104,15) and the Gospel tells of Jesus providing wine for the wedding celebration at Cana. Every Sunday we gather at the altar where at Jesus’ command we offer and receive wine that has become his blood by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Scriptures and the Church are also very straight-forward about the abuse of alcohol. St. Paul made it clear in his instructions to the community at Corinth that “drunkards…will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6,10) Instead, we are called “to live sober, upright and godly lives in this world.” (Titus 2,12) Paul opposes the “drinking bouts” which are the work of the flesh, and calls instead for that “self-control” which is the fruit of the Spirit.

The guidance that the Church offers in regard to the use of alcohol is the virtue of temperance, which is not to be confused with the temperance movement of a century ago. The emphasis on the need for the virtue of temperance is implicit recognition that controlling the desire for and the use of alcohol can be difficult. Just advising people to say “No!” is not enough.

For most people the virtue of temperance will mean developing the habit of limiting oneself to the moderate use of alcohol. Temperance can also demand the total non-use of alcohol either temporarily, as during pregnancy, or permanently, as for the person suffering from alcoholism. One appropriate way for developing the virtue of temperance is to abstain voluntarily from any use of alcohol for a period of time, such as during Lent.

As Catholics, we know that every virtue is ultimately the work of the Spirit within us, so we ask God, in prayer and especially through the sacraments, for the gift of the virtue of temperance.

For the Christian then, it is a virtue that guides and enables our appropriate use or non-use of alcoholic beverages. Through the cultivation of the virtue of temperance we become better persons and better Christians, making a positive contribution to the family and the society in which we live.

Alcohol in Today’s Society

In our country the inappropriate use and abuse of alcohol has become a normal part of the social scene. It begins in our high schools and even our middle schools where the problem is often phrased by parents and school authorities in the question, “Should we let the students drink?” Unfortunately, the real issue all too often is intoxication.

On college campuses across the nation, Catholic and secular, the problem of alcohol abuse has become so epidemic that it is a major concern for college administrations. Apart from the fact that regular bouts of alcohol abuse can block personal growth and intellectual development, such abuse can contribute to many serious but preventable problems: traffic accidents, sexual harassment and date rape, peer violence, unintended pregnancies, and the early development of alcoholism.

The problems and consequences of alcohol abuse are not limited to the young; they pervade our whole society. According to a national report, one in ten persons is an alcohol abuser, and one in four is affected by the abuse of alcohol in their own families. National studies show that Wisconsin has too often been among those states which have the highest rates of binge drinking and chronic drinking. We do not need a survey to know that driving cars, boats and snowmobiles while under the influence is a serious problem in our state.

Every parish priest or counselor knows that many of the personal and family problems that surface in a parish involve the abuse of alcohol. These problems too often include the breakup of families, domestic violence, child abuse, serious economic damage to the family, and the loss of members to the Church.

Ultimately, of course, we are all casualties of this abuse of alcohol. Industry suffers lost productivity and medical costs increase because of alcohol-associated injuries and disease. Even taking our children to a professional athletic event can become a problem because of the alcohol-induced rowdiness in the stands.

All of us, in a sense, also contribute to the problem. We make up a society that sees alcohol as almost necessary for any party and expects considerable consumption of alcohol as normal behavior at significant social celebrations. Our society also accepts as normal the fact that some persons will be intoxicated at the end of such celebrations.

While it is unlikely that any one statement can change society, it is important that we summon the Church of Green Bay – parishes, institutions and members – to join society’s struggle to have a healthier approach to the use of alcohol.

Our Response

Our response to the problem of alcohol abuse is not a crusade. It is a determination to do what we can within our own Church family to alert our brothers and sisters to the problem of alcohol abuse and to work together to lessen the societal pressure to use and abuse alcohol. Much has already been done by our parishes and institutions, but more remains to be done.

Therefore, the Diocese of Green Bay adopts the following goals and recommendations in response to the serious problem of alcohol abuse.

The Atmosphere

Goal: To promote an atmosphere that discourages the abuse of alcohol and that encourages alcohol-free policies for church activities.

1. The Diocese, parishes and schools are to adopt policies that effectively discourage the abuse of alcohol at church events.

2. The Diocese, parishes and schools are encouraged to consider the possibility of an alcohol-free policy for specific events. They should also study and find ways to encourage a mind-set that will not view alcohol as a necessary part of social activities.

3. Educational institutions should be proactive in discouraging under-age use of alcohol and in encouraging the virtue of temperance among adults in their use of alcohol.

4. All members of the Church of Green Bay, especially those in ministry, should model the virtue of temperance in their own lives as they make appropriate choices in the use or non-use of alcohol.

5. Diocesan offices, parishes, and institutions should cooperate with other organizations in a common effort to improve our society’s attitude toward the abuse of alcohol.

6. The agenda of each pastoral council should include the study of this document with a view to its appropriate application within the parish.

Education

1. Appropriate efforts are to be made to educate parishioners about the dangers and morality of alcohol abuse. Possible ways include the homily, guest speakers, articles in The Compass and parish newsletters, and the availability of resource materials in parish libraries and pamphlet racks.

2. Workshops are to be offered for parish personnel concerning substance abuse, addiction, co-dependency and the recovery process.

3. The Department of Total Catholic Education is to provide the training and curriculum resources necessary so that teachers and catechists can educate their students concerning the issues of alcohol abuse, addiction and recovery.

4. Diocesan departments are to review their programs in order to find ways in which they can support this effort to stem alcohol abuse in our community.

5. Seminarians and others preparing for ministry are seriously encouraged to take advantage of programs that relate to substance abuse and addiction. Diocesan ministry formation programs are to provide opportunities for education concerning the same subjects.

6. The virtue of temperance should be central to educational programs concerning the use and abuse of alcohol in order to avoid an unhelpful and negative approach to the subject.

Intervention and Recovery

Goal: To reach out to and assist alcoholics and co-dependents into recovery.

1. Parishes should continue to welcome and make space available for support groups dealing with addiction.

2. Catholic Charities is encouraged to continue and expand its counseling services for persons affected by alcohol abuse.

3. Retreat centers should study the possibility of offering even more programs for those suffering from alcohol abuse.

4. The experience and expertise of recovering alcoholics should be seen as a rich resource. Opportunities to learn from their knowledge should be encouraged.

The above goals and recommendations are addressed to our parishes, schools and institutions, but their effectiveness depends upon all of us taking seriously the need to confront the problem of alcohol abuse.

Appendix

The members of the Task Force who prepared the original 1995 report in which this document is rooted were the following:

Joann Liska (Chairperson), Catholic Charities, Marinette
Lee Bouche, Employee Resource Center, Green Bay
Reverend Dean Dombroski, Native American Ministry
Reverend Kurt Gessner, OFM Cap., HOPE Program, Appleton
Reverend Michael Koch, Coordinator of Diocesan Health Services
Sister Annette Koss, Pastoral Associate, Kimberly
Don Pagel, Retired from Division of Community Services, Green Bay
Deacon Maury Reed, Vocations-Permanent Diaconate, Green Bay
Sister Marie Colette Roy, Diocesan Education Department, Green Bay
Alice Sebora, AODA Prevention/Intervention, Two Rivers
George Thottakara, AODA Counselor, Niagara
Barbara Wallace, AODA Counselor/Catholic Charities Board Member, Appleton
Jill Kahovec, Case Aide, Catholic Charities, Green Bay